Swan Song
by VesperBlackwell
Summary: Merely a few weeks after Edward left Bella, she died in what Alice foresaw to be a car crash. Twenty years later, he is struggling to hold on to his will to live. It is during this difficult time that the Cullens meet the twins, Eve and Adrian, who bear a striking resemblance to Edward's lost love. Their presence causes Edward to wonder. Did Bella really die all those years ago?
1. Meetings and Memories

**SWAN SONG**

MEETINGS AND MEMORIES

Eve Swan simply loved London this time of the year. Autumn really was a time of poetic beauty in the city. However, the same could not be said for her destination this evening. She wrinkled her nose as she approached the Slug and Lettuce Bar on Stoney Lane. The smell of sweat and booze was as stifling as ever, especially with her vampire senses. Why her brother insisted on meeting here, she would never understand. Sighing loudly, she pushed the door open and stepped inside. She could feel all the men staring at her. This was a perfectly normal occurrence. Eve was the kind of woman who was impossible to overlook. With her tall, willowy figure and exceptionally fine features, she was easily any man's dream. She radiated confidence as she effortlessly glided through the room.

Politely refusing a drink from one of her many admirers, she quickly scanned the room for her twin brother. Spotting him at the bar, she raised her hand in greeting. But Adrian wasn't looking at her. He was fixated with the attractive blonde at his side. This was also perfectly normal. Sipping his vodka martini, he flashed a disarming smile and leaned forward to whisper something in her ear. Blondie giggled, completely enamored with him. Eve briefly wondered if her brother had used his mind compulsion to bend her will. He certainly didn't need to. Adrian's charm was one of his greatest gifts.

Adrian still hadn't noticed her. Looking around to make sure no one was paying attention; Eve focused her attention on Blondie's drink. It was sitting right next to her arm. She imagined the glass tipping over and the contents splashing onto her dress. Immediately, she heard an indignant shriek. Adrian managed to placate the girl and Blondie ducked into the restroom, her face red with embarrassment.

"What the hell, Eve!" her brother exploded, as she slipped into the now empty seat next to him and ordered a drink. She shrugged casually. "What? I had to get your attention somehow. Don't get all huffy now."

Adrian glared at her for a minute, before shaking his head. "You know I can't stay mad at you for long."

He was over six feet tall with a lean, muscular build. He looked a great deal like his sister -they were twins after all. Both of them had inherited their mother's dark hair and their father's emerald green eyes.

_Their father._

It was absurd how much resentment she harbored towards a man she had never even met. He had left her mother before they were born. As far as she knew, he had no idea of their existence. Quite frankly, she preferred it that way. She had no wish to meet him.

Shaking away all thoughts of their father, Eve turned to Adrian. "Gianna just called. Apparently, Aro was serious about us visiting Volterra next week. I told her that we won't be able to make it."

"Phew! Good call. I hate going to that freak show. They didn't throw a fit or anything, right?"

"Of course not," Eve scoffed. "After everything that happened, they're much too scared of us for that. As they should be."

The two of them had a long, complicated history with the Volturi but were currently on cordial terms with them. The good news was that they no longer had to be wary of being attacked any second and be ready to run at a moment's notice. The bad news, however, was that they were forced to attend parties in Volterra every now and then just to 'maintain their alliance' as Aro put it. The man was a bit too flamboyant for his own good.

"So," her brother interrupted her thoughts, "I was thinking. It's been a while since we saw Mum. Maybe we should go visit her? I think she'd like that."

Eve, who had been sipping her tequila nearly choked at his words. "When has she _ever _been happy to see us? I don't think it's a good idea, Ade."

"She is still our mother. We can't just abandon her. Besides, don't you want to see how Uncle Anton is doing? I know you miss him," he persisted.

"Fine," she conceded with a grimace. Their mother had never really been there for them growing up. Eve and Adrian reminded her too much of her precious Edward. It was Anton who had raised them.

* * *

Twenty years ago, Anton Hoffman was a lonely vampire who lived a nomadic life. He had perfected his self-control to the point where he could taste human blood without going into a frenzy. He preferred to live off of blood bags. During his travels, he met a vampire named Victoria. He didn't particularly like her but they become allies of sorts. He quickly learned that Victoria was seeking revenge for her dead mate. She convinced him to help her.

Anton accompanied Laurent to Forks where he met Isabella Swan. He was horrified that Victoria's idea of revenge involved torturing and killing a hapless, abandoned human. He felt strangely drawn to young Isabella. He couldn't bring himself to go through with the plan. Quickly changing gears, he proceeded to kill Laurent and fake Bella's death by staging a car crash. He then took her to safety. It was then that he discovered the horrific truth. Bella was with child. A vampire's child. He knew enough of the South American Ticuna legends to realize that this could be potentially fatal for the young human.

At this point, Bella was desperate. She certainly couldn't go to a hospital and already a bump was beginning to show. Anton decided that he couldn't leave her there to die. He took her with him to a remote country house in the Rhine Valley, Germany where she would be safe from Victoria. As far as she knew, Bella was dead. The pregnancy lasted over a month. Bella was terrifying detached during the whole process. She would sit listlessly at the window for hours, her face blank and eyes glassy. Except for the occasional screams of pain, she did not speak. She did not protest even when he told her that the only way to sustain herself and the child was to drink blood.

At the end of it, she gave birth to twins – a boy and a girl. As she lay dying on the delivery table, Anton realized that he loved her too much to lose her. Besides, the children needed their mother. He turned Bella into a vampire.

When Bella awoke to her new life, she was furious. She screamed and raged at Anton for not letting her die. Her first instinct was to go the Volturi and ask for death. Anton begged her not to do so.

"Think of the children," he pleaded. "You would put them in danger if you exposed yourself to the Volturi. It is better for all of you if we remain isolated form the rest of the world."

After much cajoling and persuading on Anton's part, she finally agreed to stay with them. But she wanted nothing to do with the babies. She refused to even name them. In the end, Anton named the boy Adrian Alexander and the girl Eve Elizabeth. He took over the responsibility of raising and educating the twins.

They grew at an incredible rate, reaching full maturity at the chronological age of seven and appeared to be about twenty years old. They hadn't changed in the last thirteen years. Being half-vampire and half-human, they shared attributes of both species. On one hand, their bodies functioned more or less like a human being. This meant they could eat human food and, as they were elated to discover in later years, could drink alcohol. They needed to sleep, of course, but not as often as humans and their heart rate was faster too.

However, they were still part-vampire and possessed super strength and speed, though it was exponentially lesser than what a full vampire would have. Their skin was as hard and impenetrable as a vampire's. They also had to drink blood. While human food was an indulgence, blood was an absolute necessity. Anton taught them to control their bloodlust at an early age. They preferred to drink from blood bags like him. However, unlike vampires, the twins were non-venomous.

The twins were, by no means, easy to handle. Adrian was generally quite sweet-natured but Eve could be very temperamental and threw terrible fits. It was during these tantrums that her astonishing talent came to light. Eve had been wailing because her brother had stolen her pancakes. Anton was attempting to calm her down when suddenly the jug of water toppled over for no apparent reason. A similar incident occurred that night when Anton was trying to put the reluctant little girl to bed.

"_Nein, liebchen_. You cannot watch television any longer. It is past your bedtime," he told her sternly. A book flew out of the shelf and hit him on the head. For a minute, he was too flabbergasted to say anything. Then he began to laugh. The child was telekinetic! Vampires often possessed supernatural psionic abilities. He should have expected something like this. "So, you are behind this. I was beginning to think this house might be haunted. But we must teach you to control it, yes?"

Adrian's talent did not reveal itself for a few years. The twins were psychologically and intellectually around seventeen years old (physically, they were six) when it happened. Anton had just taught them to drive and one afternoon, to his utter shock, Adrian had returned home with a black Ferrari.

"Gorgeous, isn't it? It's _Herr_ Schneider's," Adrian beamed at him. Friedrich Schneider was a rich businessman who sometimes came to stay in the manor house a few miles away.

"You stole his car?" Anton was appalled.

"Of course not! He gave it to me. I asked him."

Anton was skeptical. "Really? He just handed over a three hundred thousand dollar car because you _asked_ him?"

"I swear, _Onkel_! I know it sounds crazy but that's what happened. His eyes kind of glazed over and he just gave me the keys."

Anton saw the truth in the boy's eyes. As absurd as it was, Adrian had somehow controlled the human's mind. He had heard stories of such abilities but had never found any proof. He thought of Eve's telekinesis. Perhaps it wasn't so absurd after all.

**By the way, in my story, Laurent shows up not long after the Cullens leave. Like, a few weeks later. And if you haven't guessed it already, Anton is German.**

**PLEASE DO REVIEW :) I could really use some advice too, so feel free.  
**


	2. Trysts and Tales

TRYSTS AND TALES

"Why so quiet, Edward? Contemplating new ways to kick the bucket?" Irina smirked. Edward rolled his eyes. She had always felt vulnerable due to the fact that he could read her mind and tended to mask it with contempt.

"Irina," Tanya glared at her. "Don't you have a date with Jaden?"

"It's Caden. And yes, I'm leaving. I should probably head down before his friends get there. They can't resist me at all. The poor boy gets so jealous."

"Can't blame them. Low prices do always attract a lot of customers," he deadpanned.

"Edward!" his mother exclaimed from across the room. But he was already out of the door. A good sprint would clear his head. Running a hand through his hair, he wondered if he should apologize to Irina and then decided against it. She would probably use the opportunity to pick another fight with him.

The entire family had arrived in Denali a few months back after spending approximately the last decade and a half in various parts of Australia. It was a nice change from America, he supposed.

It had all started twenty years ago, when Bella died. Afraid of how he would react, his family had chosen to hide the truth from him. It wasn't a hard task considering he had permanently left home in favor of traipsing the globe to hunt Victoria. In his case, _trying_ to hunt Victoria. He was terrible at it. This task kept him very busy but he was thankful to have a reason not to visit his family. They were better off without him moping around in the background. He didn't find out about Bella's death until two years later when Rosalie blurted the truth to him over the phone. Knowing Rose, her intentions were probably selfish but he was glad that she told him.

Without further ado, he left for Italy. Aro was very surprised, to put it mildly, by his request. He tried to talk him out of it. He even tried to persuade him to join the guard.

"No thank you, Aro. I already want to kill myself. No need to put me through further torture." He honestly didn't think they would take offence to that comment. However, they were ready to kill him now, so he wasn't really complaining. _This is it, _he thought and closed his eyes.

He was quite startled when his entire family came barging through the doors of the throne room. He cringed at their thoughts. Their appearance was followed by a long debate. Aro finally agreed to let Edward go, out of respect for his old friend Carlisle. Caius menacingly informed them that if there was a repeat of that particular spectacle, he wouldn't hesitate to exterminate the entire Cullen clan. Aro just smiled at them apologetically.

His little suicide mission had failed. He really had no choice now but to return home and face the music. To his bewilderment, there was no fury. Just plain, sweet relief. He had underestimated just how big a part of this family he was. They had just lost Bella. Already, his family was in pieces – no longer quite together. If they lost him too, he knew without a shred of doubt that the damage would be irreparable.

And so, he drove away his thoughts of dying. He had to be there for his family. It was what Bella would have done.

The shrill sound of his phone ringing shook him out of his thoughts. He checked the time. He had been out for two hours. Alice was calling to remind him to come home. The Irish coven would be arriving soon.

* * *

"Edward!" Siobhan greeted as he walked in. "You look well."

"I look like crap," he corrected, "but I do appreciate the sentiment. Liam, Maggie, it's good to see you both."

All the Cullens and Denalis, save for Irina, were present in the living room of the enormous ski-lodge turned house. He was surprised when Siobhan had called to tell them that they were coming to visit. The Irish coven was an old friend of theirs and he was glad to have them there. They were great fun to be with and Liam always had the craziest stories to share.

By midnight, the three covens had gathered around a huge bonfire, which Emmett and Eleazar had built at Maggie's insistence. Liam began a tale form his years as a newborn vampire.

"Well, I was turned on the battlefield by accident. I wasn't alone though. The vampire who turned me was called Ian. He was quite new himself. A bit bonkers he was, that fella," he said with a laugh. Siobhan chuckled, obviously having met this Ian.

"So, about three months after our transition, Ian decided that he wanted to get completely bladdered for one night. At the time, we had no idea that vampires couldn't drink alcohol. We went to a local tavern. We had no money, of course, so we'd had to steal. Now, Ian had a special little talent. He could turn invisible."

"Whoa! How cool is that?" Emmett broke in enthusiastically.

Liam grinned, "Not as cool as you'd think. It worked flawlessly on him but on his clothes? Not so much. He had to strip to his birthday suit every time he wanted to conceal himself. So, he took off his clothes and sneaked in invisible. He managed to get his hands on few bottles of whiskey and started making his way out; all the while trying to make sure no one noticed that the bottles were apparently floating in mid-air."

Edward laughed out loud at the scene in Liam's head. He rolled his eyes at everyone's dumbfounded expressions at hearing him laugh. Everyone but Esme, who was beaming.

"Everything was going on without a hitch and then, it all literally came crashing down. He once told me that his ability could be very unpredictable. Ian suddenly reappeared in the middle of the room. Naked. He was so stunned that he accidentally dropped the bottles!" He gestured wildly with his hands.

By now, everyone was in hysterics. "A clumsy vampire? Is that even possible?" Kate asked, clutching her stomach.

Liam guffawed loudly, "Clumsy was a bit of an understatement. That poor fella was so embarrassed that he stood frozen in place for a minute. Then he bolted out of there so fast that even I missed it!"

"He ran out at vampire speed?" Rosalie frowned. "Wasn't the tavern full of humans?"

"It was," he agreed. "But they were all so bloody drunk that they thought they were seeing things."

"Then what? Did you drink the whiskey?" Emmett asked, eagerly.

"We sure did, lad. And we also spent the next hour getting it all out of our systems. Disgusting, I tell yeh."

Carlisle spoke up, "What happened to Ian?"

"Oh, he's still around somewhere. We parted ways a few months after that particular incident when I met Siobhan." He replied, putting an arm around his mate.

"We ran into him just last month," Maggie supplied. "And that brings up another interesting story. Tell them, Liam."

"Another one? Do tell," Tanya smiled.

"Ian's control over his ability grew over the years and so did his penchant for sticking his nose where it didn't belong. War councils, secret government meetings, Marilyn Monroe's bedroom – you get the picture. A few years back, he was in Volterra on St. Marcus day."

A lot of their kind visited Volterra out of curiosity to see the famed seat of vampire power.

"Aro had met Ian centuries ago and found him harmless enough. He thought that his ability was too unpredictable to pose a threat. Luckily for my boy Ian, Aro did not insist on reading his mind or he would've insisted on adding him to his collection."

Edward's jaw tightened as he recalled his own time in Volterra. Jasper shot him a sympathetic look sensing the shift in his emotions.

"He was walking down the street when a conversation between two members of the guard caught his interest. Naturally he pulled a vanishing act and followed them. He had to be careful because they could still hear and smell him. But his scent was lost among the countless other vampires in the city. After a while, they stopped walking and Ian perched himself on a rooftop close enough to hear their conversation. They were talking about two people-twins, actually-who had defeated the Volturi."

"That's impossible," Eleazar interjected. "The Volturi are ancient. There is no damn way they could have been bested by _two_ vampires."

"Aye. You're right. But they weren't vampire, you see."

"Well, what else could they have been?" Irina asked, haughtily.

"Half-human and half-vampire, Ian heard them say. And more powerful than either. He hardly believed it himself. He didn't pick up much after that but he did get that something big had happened. The Volturi were forced to sign a peace treaty!"

"Unbelievable as it sounds, Ian was telling the truth," Maggie said referring to her own talent of lie detection.

Everyone wore matching expressions of utter shock. Carmen's jaw had dropped.

"Maybe they can help us catch Victoria," Emmett exclaimed.

Siobhan knitted her eyebrows, "Victoria?"

"We had a bit of a scuffle with her coven over twenty years ago," Carlisle chose his words carefully. "Ended up killing her mate. She fled at the time but returned five years later with a few new friends. She took us by surprise and nearly managed to kill Alice."

"We haven't seen her since. We've been trying to find her but had no luck. We can't find a trace of her nor can I see her in my visions," Alice frowned.

"Fifteen years is a longs time," Siobhan raised an elegant eyebrow. "Perhaps she has given up?"

"No," Edward shook his head vehemently. "I got a clear read of her mind. She was hell-bent on destroying us. She's just biding her time, trying to get our guard down. Our best option is to take her out before she strikes again."

Maggie got the distinct impression that there was more to their history with Victoria but she trusted them enough not to ask.

"Where do you suppose we can find them, Liam?" Carlisle asked.

"Well, according to Ian, the guards mentioned something about them living in London among humans. Can't be sure if they're still there."

"It's a start," Edward muttered. "London it is, then."


	3. Homecoming and Heartache

HOMECOMING AND HEARTACHE

Adrian gazed out of the window, deep in thought. In the seat opposite him, his sister had fallen asleep. They were on a train to Lausanne where Anton and Bella were presently staying. His mother enjoyed the privacy that Switzerland afforded. He smiled at the notion of seeing Mum. He had missed her.

Isabella Swan hadn't had the easiest life. She had been jilted by her lover, forced to leave her family and then she had nearly died giving birth to her children. Survival had, however, come at a terrible price. About one in a thousand women suffered from post-partum psychosis following delivery. His mother happened to be that_ one_.

The symptoms became apparent two weeks after the birth. For a human, the illness was temporary and treatable. But Bella was no longer human. Anti-psychotic drugs wouldn't work. The lack of treatment combined with a vampire's incapacity for change meant that she was stuck in a limbo of depression and delusions.

She became a recluse, refusing to leave the attic. Anton encouraged the children to spend time with their mother. He was confident that the children were the only way to get through to Bella.

One day, Adrian heard his mother's laughter coming from the attic. He had never heard her laugh before. She sounded so happy.

"Edward, I _told_ you I didn't want any birthday presents!"  
Edward. Wasn't that his father's name? The little boy ran to the attic and threw the door open with a huge grin on his face.

His mother was alone.

"Adrian, come say hello to your daddy," Bella beamed at him. He couldn't speak. For the first time in life, he realized that his mother wasn't all there.

As the years passed, she continued to suffer from hallucinations and severe mood swings. She ranted that Victoria was coming to kill her and nothing could persuade her otherwise. There were times when she was unable to recognize any of them. Adrian and Eve watched helplessly as their mother slipped further and further away.

Six years later, Anton's prediction that the children would get Bella better came true. It was a cloudy Tuesday afternoon and the twins were walking home from school. They attended a nearby private school as day-scholars. Their aging had slowed down enough that the humans wouldn't notice anything strange about them. Adrian was glad to for the chance to interact with other people but it got quite tiresome. Eve felt the same way but she was way more vocal about her frustrations.

"I honestly don't see the point. They don't teach us anything that we don't already know. And who knew human boys could be so bloody annoying! Ugh."

"Feel better?" he asked her, calmly.

"You better not be mocking me, Ade!"

By now, they had arrived at home. He could hear Uncle Anton moving around in the kitchen. Adrian hoped it was something good. He was starving. He made his way to the kitchen, Eve at his heels. He stepped inside and abruptly came to a halt. Eve crashed into his back and was about to release a string of insults when she noticed the scene in front of them. She made a little squeaking sound.

"I hope you're hungry," their mother smiled at them hesitantly. "I'm making steak and potatoes."

"Y-yes. Yes, we're hungry," Adrian managed to say. He elbowed his sister in the ribs. "Of course!" she yelped.

Bella's smile widened. "It's almost done. Why don't you both sit down and tell me about your day?"

So they both sat and talked. Adrian told her about the new mural he was painting for the school auditorium. Eve talked about the new musical she was auditioning for. Bella absorbed each tidbit of information with delight. She placed their food in front of them and they began to eat.

"Is it alright? It's been a long while since I cooked anything." The steak was overcooked and the potatoes were salty.

"It's perfect," Adrian told her.

"Absolutely delicious," Eve agreed, with a grin.

Bella smiled. After lunch, she insisted on seeing Adrian's drawings and gushed at how talented he was. Eve offered to play the piano for her. Her smile faltered and a look of pain took over her face for a second. She quickly fixed her expression but her voice was shaky. "I would love to hear you play, darling."

She clapped enthusiastically as Eve finished her performance but her eyes remained haunted. Anton chose that moment to return, grocery bags in hand. Adrian expected him to be surprised but he merely smiled.

"Did you have a good afternoon?"

* * *

She was, by no means, cured. The hallucinations as well as the mood swings still occurred, although less frequently. She still had a haunted look in her eyes, as if she was constantly reliving a nightmare. No, she wasn't cured at all. But she was getting there.

After that day, their mother made it a point to spend more time with them. They went on picnics, went to watch plays in the little amphitheater in town and sometimes they just curled up on the sofa and talked. It was absolutely wonderful.

She told them stories of her scatterbrained mother and her stoic father. It was clear that she missed them very much. She also spoke of their father. He had a huge family, she said and described their grandparents and aunts and uncles to them. These stories always left them with mixed feelings.

But there was still something that he couldn't quite put his finger on. It was like they were seeing only a small part of their mother. She was never with them all the way. Quite soon, it became apparent that the rest of her was still stuck in the past. It was clear that she loved her children but she was still deeply in love with Edward. They were constant reminders of him. On one of her bad days, seeing the twins had triggered a full-blown psychotic episode in Bella. For Eve, this was the last straw. She hated that her mother seemed to care more for the man who ruined her than the children who loved her. She accused her of always holding back when she was with them. "We'll never be enough for you, will we Mother?" she shouted and then proceeded to storm out.

But Adrian had inherited his mother's perceptiveness. He realized that she felt terribly guilty for missing such a huge part of their lives. She was broken but she was doing her best. Mum wasn't to blame at all. His father was.

_Bienvenue à Lausanne, _a female voice spoke over the intercom. They had arrived in Lausanne.

* * *

"There you are!" Anton said, as they walked into the chateau. Your mother was just about to call you. Come here," he pulled them both into a hug.

"Mum," Adrian exclaimed, spotting her. She laughed. "Hello darling," she opened her arms wide. Adrian happily obliged, embracing her.

She turned to his sister. "Evie, it's so good to see you."

"Mother."

Bella flinched slightly at her tone but wrapped her arms around her daughter. Eve hugged her back, albeit stiffly.

Anton cleared his throat. "Well come along, then. Lunch is ready."

Once they were comfortably seated at the dining table, Adrian did not waste any time piling his plate with food. Eve picked up a blood bag.

"So, tell me," Mum began. "How is everything going?"

Eve kept quiet so Adrian spoke up. "Well, you know I'm working as a photographer for Elle UK. I've also been keeping up with my painting. Some curator from a downtown art gallery decided that he liked my paintings so he offered to organize an exhibition."

"That's amazing! When is it?"

"Oh, well, you know, the curator was pretty flexible. He said I could have it any time this week-"

"It's tomorrow," Eve cut him off. "We're leaving tonight."

"Oh. I see," his mother's face fell.

"Don't worry, I can ask him postpone it. Besides, if he refuses, all I have to do is compel him a little bit," he smirked mischievously.

"Absolutely not. No compulsion," his mother insisted. She had often expressed her distaste for his little talent. "I know the two of you have busy lives. It's alright," she smiled.

Anton turned to Eve. "You haven't said much, _liebchen_. What have you been up to? Did you finish that course you were taking at the Royal School of Music?"

"Yes, I got my performance diploma. I give piano concerts every now and then. I've been interning with George Lennox. He plays cello in the London Philharmonic Orchestra," a note of excitement crept into her voice. She did not see the look of pride on her mother's face.

The rest of the afternoon passed by in a blur. It was soon time for goodbyes. Adrian hugged his mother fiercely. "We'll be back before you know it."

She looked like she would cry if vampires could but still managed a smile.

"Until next time."

**Just two words for you. PLEASE. REVIEW.**


	4. Encounters and Enquiry

ENCOUNTERS AND ENQUIRY

"God, I hate airports! Remind me again why we decided to _fly_ back to London?"

Eve pinched the bridge of her nose and fought the urge to hit her brother. "For the last time, Adrian, there were no train tickets available and catching the later train would have meant missing your exhibition. Besides, you certainly seemed to enjoy yourself, what with all the flight-attendants fawning over you."

The two of them had taken a train to Paris and, much to their irritation, discovered that all trains to London were full. Air traffic was also impaired due to an unexpected storm. They had to spend the entire night at the Charles de Gaulle Airport waiting for their flight.

"But still," he continued to grumble.

"Stop talking now or, so help me God, I will-"

"Okay, okay. Jeez! There's no need to get violent, sister dear."

"Let's just go, okay?"

Adrian had the sense not to reply and the siblings trudged silently through Heathrow Airport, luggage in hand.

* * *

Heathrow Airport was already giving Edward Cullen a massive headache. So many people, so many inane thoughts. He shook his head and tried to listen for anything unusual.

"This place is HUGE. And I don't just mean the airport," Rosalie scowled. "Where the hell are we supposed to start looking? This is a stupid idea."

"Rose," Carlisle began.

"Right here," Jasper turned to them. "Do you smell that?"

"Smell what?" Emmett started sniffing the air like a dog. Rosalie slapped the back of his head.

Edward caught the scent. It was faint and lost in the crowd but undeniably there. It was the strangest thing he had ever smelt. "It smells extremely good but not good enough to eat, somehow. Reminds me of a human and a vampire at the same time."

"Half-human and half-vampire," Carlisle murmured.

They followed the scent outside. It ended there.

"Now what?" Emmett asked. "Alice, you see anything?"

"Let me try," she closed her eyes. Everyone watched anxiously. She frowned in concentration and rubbed her temples as if she had a headache. Her eyes shot open, face panicked.

"Nothing. Only blackness. I-"

"Can't see their future," Edward finished.

Everyone wore masks of disbelief. Carlisle was level-headed and rational, as always.

"I suppose we will have to track them the old-fashioned way then. Their scent probably disappeared because they took a car. So, they either had their own –"

"Or they took a cab," Jasper grinned.

Emmett and Jasper headed to the taxi booth while the rest of them waited. They returned ten minutes later with car keys and victorious expressions.

"According to the man at the booth, a man and a woman rented a taxi a short while back. Both were pale and dark-haired. He said they looked like twins," Jasper reported.

"Twins!" Emmett slapped his knee. "C'mon guys. It has to be them."

"All the cars have GPS trackers. We bribed, er, persuaded the guy to give us the tracking device as well as a record of their cab's route so far. Which means we can now follow their every move," Emmett rubbed his hands, as if in anticipation.

"We should follow the route. They could still be in the taxi, of course, but they could have gotten off along the way too. We should cover all possibilities," Carlisle mused. "We should stick together too. We have no idea what we're up against."

"We should go immediately. They have a huge head start. I'm driving," Edward held his hand out for the keys.

* * *

They followed the route. Along the way, they stopped to question people. Everyone remembered the beautiful dark-haired pair. They learned that the twins had bought a book on portraits at the National Portrait Museum in Soho, purchased coats at Liberty's, shopped for antiques in Covent Garden and finally had lunch at the L'ulivo Villiers in Charing Cross with several stops in between. The presence of their scent confirmed it. The process was painfully time-consuming. Nearly five hours later, they arrived at the Westminster Pier.

"Where did the cab go next?" Edward asked.

Jasper studied the tracker. "To the nearest taxi stand. They must have gotten off here."

"The scent ends here. They must have taken a boat. We can't track them across the river," Edward clenched his fists.

"Calm down, son," Carlisle said, soothingly. "The humans must have seen something."

No one saw anything. They had questioned every human in sight. Edward was ready to give up when he spotted a young girl sitting on a bench in the corner, sketching.

"Yeah, I saw them," she told him. "Spoke to the guy. He said he was an artist. He gave me some really good art advice. Even invited me to his exhibition tonight. Really nice bloke."

Edward tried to contain his excitement. "Where is it? The exhibition, I mean."

"The Forest City Gallery in downtown London. 6.00 pm. You're not the police or anything, are you?"

"No, just a guy looking for a couple of friends. Thank you for your help."

* * *

The paintings were absolutely beautiful, he had to admit. Each seemed to tell a story of its own. No wonder people were flocking so eagerly to buy them. Edward glanced around the gallery, looking for any sign of the elusive siblings. He could pick up only a trace of their scents. Across the room, Carlisle was speaking to the curator.

"I'm sorry, Sir. But this artist has requested complete anonymity. None of the staff have ever seen him. I myself have only spoken to him over the phone. All the paintings arrived by post."

Edward scanned his mind. The man was telling the truth.

"I don't suppose there is a forwarding address?" Carlisle enquired politely.

"I must ask you your reasons, Sir," the curator eyed him suspiciously.

Carlisle concocted some elaborate story about the artist being his runaway nephew. After some convincing, the curator gave them the address.

The address led them to an old warehouse on the outskirts of the city. "What the hell?" Emmett muttered.

They entered the building cautiously. Esme found a light switch and flicked it on. Spray painted on the wall opposite to them in large letters was a message.

HOPE YOU HAD A NICE TOUR. WELCOME TO LONDON.

* * *

Across the city, Eve was entering the Forest City Gallery with a satisfied smirk on her face. Her thoughts drifted back to that morning. Adrian had picked up on the vampires' scents in the airport. They had dealt with vampires long enough to recognize that they were probably being hunted. It had been a simple matter to find a dark haired couple for Adrian to compel. They switched clothes with them and Ade compelled them to hire a taxi and take a joy ride through the city. They made sure to rig the taxi service's tracking device to make sure their body doubles were always a step ahead. Their scent lingered on the humans enough to fool the vampires. Eve and Ade hid out in the airport for a while before heading in a completely different direction.

No experienced tracker would have fallen for their subterfuge. These vamps were amateurs. No doubt they were now at the warehouse by now. Eve wished she could have seen the look on their faces. Who the hell were these vampires anyway? She made her way to the guard's room to check the security feed.

Ten minutes later, she was sitting in an underground train talking on the phone with Adrian.

"It worked perfectly. Well done."

"I bet we really riled them up," he laughed. "I'll be at my studio all night. Don't wait up. Good night, Eve."

"Goodnight Adrian," she cut the call. She wasn't going home either. The train reached its stop. She exited and walked to her destination.

"May I help you, madam?" the receptionist at the Dorchester hotel greeted her.

"Reservation under Swan."

He tapped a few keys and studied the computer screen. "Of course, Ms. Swan. Your companion has arrived and is in suite 1186. Shall I have someone show you to your room?"

"That won't be necessary. Thank you."

She arrived at the suite and turned the doorknob. It was unlocked. A man stepped out of the bathroom, clad in a towel. His short blonde hair was wet from the shower and his blue eyes twinkled on seeing her.

"I missed you at the rehearsal yesterday," George Lennox said.

"I'm here now, aren't I?" She met his gaze softly. "I wasn't sure you'd come."

"No man in his right mind would refuse you." He studied her slumped shoulders and worn expression. "What's wrong, darling?"

"I had a long day," she admitted. "That's all."

"What can I do to help?" Her lips curved into a smile. George always asked the right questions.

"Lose the towel."

* * *

**Tell me what you think of this chapter, people! There's more coming soon, I promise :)**  
**-Vesper**


	5. Discoveries and Dire Straits

DISCOVERIES AND DIRE STRAITS

Adrian rang the bell impatiently. He added a few knocks for good measure. How long, for the love of God, did it take to answer a sodding door? He cursed Noah Lott for the twentieth time. In the old man's defense, it was four in the morning. But he was here on a mission. That mission being the identification of the whack jobs whom they outsmarted the previous day. Paranoid, some would say, but they hadn't managed to survive this long by being complacent. It was imperative that they stayed ahead of their pursuers.

He was about to bang on the door again when it opened. The small man in front of him was wearing a plaid dressing gown over his Einstein pajamas (Seriously?) and white tufts of hair stuck out from under his night cap. He was mumbling incoherently under his breath about eigenstates and projective spaces. Adrian snapped his fingers in front of the man's face. He jumped, startled.

"Adriano, my boy! What are you doing here so early in the morning?"

"It's just Adrian, Dr. Lott. And like I said yesterday, I need your help finding some people."

"Ah, of course, of course. Forgive me. My memory is not what it used to be. Come in, my boy."

He followed the man to the basement which housed his laboratory. "I sprayed the liquid tracer on the floor of the warehouse like you told me to. It's probably adhered to the underside of their shoes by now."

"Excellent! You see, the liquid contains nanobots which are capable of emitting signals-"

"Which we can track. Or rather, you can track. We've covered this already. Let's proceed, Doc."

"Very well," he paused and turned to squint at him. "Who are you again? Why am I helping you?"

"Because I told you to. Now, about that signal-"

"Here it is," he exclaimed, excitedly. He peered at a computer screen. "Well, that is interesting. I am receiving signals from two separate locations."

"Can you pull them up for me?"

"What a ridiculous question," the scientist scoffed. "Of course I can, my dear boy. The first location is very close to this warehouse of yours. A tiny house, it seems. Registered to a Douglas Sheen."

"Oh, Doug's just the caretaker of the warehouse. What's the other location?"

"A bungalow in Epping. It is owned by…hmm…let's see. Ah, there you go! A Dr. Carlisle Cullen. Apparently, he has owned the house for-"he broke off. "Are you alright, Adriano?"

Adrian's face had completely drained of all color. "I….yes. Fine. Thank you, Dr. Lott." He took a step closer to him. "Listen to me carefully, Dr. Lott. I want you to forget that we ever met. Forget my name, forget my face and definitely forget what you just helped me with. Now, go back to sleep."

Dr. Lott stumbled back, dazed. He began to walk back to his bedroom as Adrian made his way out. He heaved a sigh of relief as set foot onto the pavement. No one had seen him enter or exit the building. The relief was replaced by dread almost immediately. He knew who the Cullens were, of course, thanks to his mother's detailed rants. He didn't even want to think about the ramifications of this little development.

Where the fuck was his sister when he needed her?

* * *

The sister in question was lying awake in a hotel bed, tossing around and fidgeting with the blanket. She had barely slept at all. Giving up, she reached for her purse on the night stand. She pulled out a picture and stared at it. The quality was terrible and the image itself was grainy but there was no doubt in her mind. The man in the picture was her father.

She had gotten the bombshell of her life when she had seen the security footage at the gallery last night. She quickly pulled a still image from the video, printed it and dashed out of there, still reeling in shock. The only other time she had seen a picture of him was when their mother had insisted on taking Adrian and her to Forks. Anton was worried that it might be dangerous, though he never told them why at the time. But Bella was adamant. So they went to Forks. They visited their mother's old home, which had been abandoned by then. They were exploring Mum's room as she sat reminiscing in the kitchen, when they found a loose floorboard. Underneath it, they found a bunch of stuff-a scrapbook, an old CD and, were those aeroplane tickets? They spent the next hour looking at the pictures. When it was time to go, they came to a silent agreement. Mum could never see those pictures. It wouldn't do her any good. So they put everything back. But the image of her father was permanently ingrained in her mind.

George stirred beside her. "Awake already?" he reached for her, sleepily.

Shoving the picture back in her purse, she turned to smile at him. "I have to go. Got some things to work out with my brother."

"It's too early, love. You can go when the sun comes up."

"But-"she was cut off as he rolled on top of her, effectively pinning her to the bed. He began planting kisses on her jaw. Slowly moving his lips to her neck, he slid his hand to her thighs, stroking them. She bit back a moan.

"Stay." It was an order. His lips had descended to her breast, teasing her nipples. He gently bit down and this time, she did moan. _Oh, screw it. _She flipped them over and attacked his lips. One more hour wouldn't hurt.

* * *

Eve reached the penthouse flat she shared with her brother. He wasn't home. She was just fixing herself some coffee when Adrian came bursting through the front door.

"Eve, I've just been to see Noah Lott, that scientist, remember-"

Of course. How could she have forgotten about his crazy plan involving the tracking nanobots? Judging by the stricken expression on his face, it must have worked.

"It's our father and his family, isn't it? They're the ones looking for us."

Adrian gaped at her. "H-how?" he stuttered.

"Security footage at the gallery." She didn't need to elaborate.

"Oh." He leaned against the kitchen counter, face still ashen. Eve knew she probably didn't look any better.

"We can't hide out in this city for much longer. They'll catch us, one way or another. They are vampires, after all. Besides, why the hell are they looking for us? Why now?" he began pacing.

"So, what do we do?" he continued, without giving her a chance to respond. "Fight or flight?"

"This day was bound to come, Ade, sooner or later. He's immortal and so are we. No use trying to outrun the inevitable."

"You're right." He straightened his back. "Wait a minute, Eve. What about Alice? If she can _see_ us, shouldn't they have caught up to us by now?"

"You're right," she mused. "But then again, none of the Volturi guard's powers work on us-not Jane, not Alec, not even Aro. Maybe Alice can't see us as well. It's definitely a possibility."

"I guess," he paused. "We'll give 'em hell, won't we, Evie?" he flashed a grin that made most people-rightly-nervous.

"There's the Adrian I know. Of course we will." She glanced at her watch. "I have a couple of hours before rehearsal. Wanna grab some lunch?"

They took Adrian's Lamborghini and headed their favorite café. It served the 'best fucking waffles' in town according to Adrian who considered them perfectly acceptable food for lunch and proceeded to order them with extra syrup. Eve settled for a Caesar salad. Eve finally relaxed a bit and lunch was filled with their usual banter.

"What's wrong with Maggie?" he demanded, referring to his flavor of the week. "She's wild, really creative-"He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and Eve made a gagging sound. "And did I mention super-hot? She's great."

"Yeah, except for the complete lack of brain cells. It's a miracle she's even functional." She shook her head in disgust. "You men are all the same. A brain, a penis and not enough blood supply for both to function at the same time."

Adrian looked insulted. He opened his mouth to make another retort but Eve said, "I'm leaving. My supervisor is a stickler for punctuality."

"Right. Good ole…uh, what's his name again? Gabe Maddox?"

Eve glared. "George Lennox, as I've told you several times already."

"Right, so you have a date with Georgie. Off you go, then."

"It's NOT a date; it's a rehearsal for next week's concert."

"Okay, okay. Calm down. Hold on. Don't tell me you're-" He peered at her flushed face and indignant expression "Oh yes, you are! You're sleeping with him, aren't you? Don't even try to deny it." He laughed. "Evie and Georgie sitting in a tree," he continued in a sing-song voice.

Eve's face had gone even redder if possible. "Ade-you-argh-kill!" she spluttered.

"Would you look at the time? Time for your rehearsal, darling! I'll walk you there," he grinned widely.

"It's round the corner," she glared at him darkly. "I don't need an escort."

"But I insist!" he linked his arm with hers and began dragging her with him. She had no choice but to tag along. They reached the building. She was making her way in when Adrian grabbed her arm to stop her.

She started to scowl but then saw the grave expression on his face. "A vampire's scent, Evie. Don't you smell it?"

She did, along with something else. "Blood. I smell George's blood," she barely recognized her own voice. She dashed inside ignoring Adrian's warnings. There would be no one else there; it was supposed to be a private rehearsal-just the two of them. Once she was inside, her eyes fell on the stage. _Oh God, please let this be a nightmare._

George lay spread-eagled on the stage lying in a pool of blood. His throat had been completely ripped open.

She grabbed Adrian's arm, hysterically. "A vampire did this. But the Cullens are the only vampires in town. They're vegetarians. I don't understand…Ade, do something!" she was frantic now.

"Hey, it's okay," he put his hands on her shoulders to still her. "Eve, you need to focus. Channel your emotions into rage. Anger is more productive than despair, remember? We will find the bastards who did this. You understand me?"

She nodded, face hardening.

"Good. Let's go."

They followed the vampire's scent to an abandoned industrial site in Westferry. The scent was strong. He was here.

"I killed the human like you told me to," a voice was saying in an American accent. Eve felt a chill course through her. Adrian let loose a growl. The speaker came into view. "As you wish," he muttered into his phone.

Blonde hair, red eyes, pathetically subservient-he was just the same as she remembered.

Riley.

"Here on Victoria's orders are you? How typical," Adrian scoffed.

"Why did she decide to strike now after all these years?" Eve hissed. The vampire said nothing.

"ANSWER ME!"

Adrian flinched. Eve could be quite scary when she wanted to be. Apparently Riley thought so too. He turned and ran.

"Here we go," Adrian grinned in anticipation.

* * *

"Is this the place you saw, Alice?" Edward looked at the old sign. Westferry Industries.

"Yes. This is it. I'm not sure what is going to happen here but it's something very important. That much I can tell."

That was when they heard the growls. They hurried inside to find a dark haired guy with his fingers wrapped around a blonde vampire's throat pinning him to a building wall, about fifteen yards from them. The wind blew their scents in their direction. It was him. The dark haired fellow was the hybrid artist.

"Tell me the truth," he growled at the vampire. There was something strangely enticing about his voice. It made him want to spill all his secrets instantly. Reading the thoughts of his family members, he could tell that it affected them the same way. He, along with the rest of his family just stood there, not daring to interfere.

The vampire cowered, "She only told me to kill your human friend. Nothing else. She never tells me everything."

_She_. Edward nearly gasped at the image in the vampire's head. Red haired, feral as ever. It was Victoria.

"He doesn't know anything, Adrian." _So, that was his name_. A girl stepped into view. His sister, most likely. "Let's just kill him."

Edward tried to get inside their heads. A wave of utter stupefaction passed over him when he found that he could not read either of their minds. It was as if they were not there at all_. Just like Bella_.

His thoughts were interrupted as the girl raised her hand. She closed her fingers, as if curving them around an invisible neck. In front of her, the vampire-Riley-began to choke violently. Vaguely, he heard Esme gasp next to him. Riley gripped his neck, still flailing wildly, and fell to his knees. Cracks appeared on his neck. They continued to watch in shock as the cracks enlarged and his head separated completely from his body. It fell to the ground with a thud. Adrian calmly flipped out a lighter and set Riley's remains on fire. His expression was completely nonchalant. His sister, on the other hand, still looked murderous.

Adrian looked at them with the strangest expression in his eyes. There was something terrifyingly familiar about him. The others were thinking the same thing. Carlisle opened his mouth to speak when the girl stepped forward. Edward felt like the wind had been knocked out of him.

"Bella?" his voice broke.

"Mm….not exactly." The girl came closer. She met his gaze squarely. He found himself staring into a pair of green eyes. The exact same shade of green that his eyes had been roughly a hundred and twenty years ago.

"Hello, dad."

* * *

**Eee! They finally meet! :P**

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	6. Aggregation and Aggravation

AGGREGATION AND AGGRAVATION

_Edward, stop. You look like you're going to have a stroke_.

Esme's mental voice admonished him gently and he reluctantly stopped pacing. The window was open and the cool night breeze ruffled his hair. He glanced at the dining table where the other members of his family were seating themselves. The last time they had had a meeting like this was the day after Bella's birthday-

He abruptly stopped his train of thought and sat down next to his mother. Carlisle cleared his throat. "I don't think any one of us would disagree that Adrian and Eve are who they claim to be."

"Hell, no," Emmett muttered. "Those two are the spitting image of Bella. Except for the eyes. They've got Edward's eyes," he paused. "How the HELL is that even possible?"

Carlisle creased his eyebrows. "I never considered the possibility at all. Edward, I have to ask-"

He squeezed his eyes shut hearing the rest of the question in Carlisle's head. "Two days before her eighteenth birthday."

He fell silent. All of their thoughts were spinning, adding to the chaos in Edward's own head. He could hear Rosalie's wonder and slight twinge of jealousy. He was surprised that she was actually excited at the prospect.

Esme's mind was playing one single thought on a loop – _I'm a grandmother_, while Carlisle was hoping that this new situation would lift their family from ruins.

Alice wasn't thinking about the twins. Her thoughts were fixated on Bella and the car crash that had supposedly killed her. _What happened to her, _she thought echoing Edward's own thoughts.

Emmett was replaying that afternoon's events. He cringed slightly as he remembered how Eve had thrown him into a wall _with her mind_. "I've always wanted to do that," she had said. Everyone had just stared at her for a moment. _Dad_? Then they all started talking at the same time. The girl-Eve-simply had rolled her eyes at the commotion. It was Adrian who had calmed the situation. He informed them Riley had killed someone they knew and insisted that they needed to go immediately to 'compel themselves an alibi'. Edward wasn't quite sure what that meant. But he had to admit that the boy had a way with words. He informed them that they would meet them at their house later that night. They vanished before anyone could protest.

Jasper was mulling over the girl's emotions at the time. It had been a confusing combination. Resentment, bitterness, hostility, loneliness, melancholy, a bit of hope even. And he didn't need to be an empath to read the fury. The boy's emotions were similar but not so intense and he seemed a tad more accepting.

The doorbell rang, breaking his reverie. His hands trembled and he felt like his nerves were about to explode. Esme squeezed his shoulder comfortingly. They all poured into the living room. Carlisle opened the door and their visitors stepped in.

Edward hadn't really gotten a good look at them that afternoon, being thrown into a wall and all, but he studied them closely now. Eve looked just like Bella and at the same time, completely unlike her. Her hair was long, like Bella's had been, with bangs that swept across her forehead. She was wearing a dress and four-inch stilettos. Her posture was stiff; she clearly didn't want to be here but at least she didn't look murderous. He particularly didn't feel like being attacked.

Adrian looked like a male version of his sister. He was taller than Edward and dressed in a devil-may-care fashion. Dark jeans, leather jacket, scruffy sneakers, ruffled hair. Edward vaguely wondered if his sister picked his clothes out for him like Alice did. He had his hands in his pockets and was, by far, the most relaxed person in the room.

All of them settled down on the couches. An awkward silence followed.

"You guys suck at tracking," Adrian blurted out suddenly. It worked and smiles broke out on everyone's faces. Even Eve's mouth twitched a little. The tension cleared partly due to Adrian's comment and partly due to Jasper's influence.

"How did this happen?" Edward shook his head in wonder.

Adrian raised an eyebrow. "Seriously? Do I have to explain the birds and bees to you?"

"No! I just, I never anticipated the possibility of anything like this."

"Obviously," Eve said flatly. Edward sighed. This was going to be a long night.

They listened as Adrian gave them a short version of their story. Eve just folded her arms and glared at all of them in turn. He snarled when Adrian mentioned Victoria. "When I find that bitch-"

"You'll rip her to pieces? Yeah, get in line. May I continue?" Adrian's expression was sardonic.

Edward backed down. He listened intently as his son spoke. It was all so overwhelming - sitting in the room as his children? How surreal could it get? He felt a rush of gratitude for this Anton Hoffman. But he couldn't help but wonder exactly what kind of relationship he shared with Bella. His fingers clenched.

Adrian's story came to an end. "So Bella's alive? That means she never died in that car crash," Edward burst out. He barely noticed that Eve was furrowing her eyebrows at his reaction, like it surprised her. He shot up from his seat. "Where is she? Tell me where she is." His family's thoughts echoed his own. They all wanted to see Bella. Well, maybe except for Rosalie.

"Why do you want to see her?" Adrian asked coolly. His detached manner had evaporated leaving his face unreadable.

"Because I love her," Edward was surprised at the question. Wasn't it obvious?

Eve laughed derisively. "Are you telling me that you abandoned her when she was pregnant and left her to the mercy of a sadistic vampire who wanted to torture her to death because you _loved_ her? Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure you don't do that to people you love."

He recoiled. Every word she spoke was true. "I know I've made some terrible mistakes-"

"No," Adrian interrupted. "You can't see her."

"Adrian, listen to me," Edward said, desperately.

"No, you listen to me." In a flash he grabbed Edward's collar. "I am not letting you anywhere near my mother until I'm sure you won't hurt her. I think you did enough damage the first time. You will stay away from her until Eve and I decide otherwise." he finished menacingly.

He had delivered a huge blow but Edward couldn't help but smile at his protectiveness. He was glad Bella had someone looking out for her. "Fair enough."

Adrian frowned as if he had expected him to argue. Then he let go his father and plopped back onto the couch as if nothing had happened.

Everyone just stared. Alice's jaw had dropped. Both Adrian's 180 degree mood swing and Edward's benign reaction were equally surprising. Even Eve looked a little perplexed as if she hadn't seen that coming. Jasper sent waves of calm through the room. Eve twitched a little and stared suspiciously at Jasper. _How did she know?_

"So," Esme intervened. "Bella must be such a wonderful mother. She was always so kind and loving." Edward completely agreed with her. Rosalie snorted.

Adrian had a peculiar expression on his face as he answered, "Yes, she is. She's told us a lot about all of you." He didn't elaborate. Eve's expression grew even more hostile, if that was even possible.

_They have so much poise. Nothing like Bella at all. _Rosalie's particularly loud thoughts invaded his mind. He glared at the insult to Bella. But he had to agree, apart from their looks they weren't much like her. They weren't as easily intimidated and didn't have her shyness. _Battle-hardened, _Jasper labeled them in his mind.

"I have a question for you," Eve's voice was still biting. "If you didn't know who we were, why were you tracking us yesterday?"

"We heard stories about vampire hybrids in London who had bested the Volturi. We wanted your help taking down Victoria," he replied honestly.

"Victoria, huh?" Adrian muttered. "That damn bitch just keeps popping up."

"The vampire you killed this afternoon, I know he has ties to her," Edward hesitated a little.

"You read his mind, you mean," Eve said, checking her nails. "Not being able to read our minds must really be eating you up. And not being able to see our future too," she said pointedly.

"How did you know about that?" Alice asked, irked at being reminded.

"We told you," Adrian said smoothly. "Our mother told us about you." He turned to Edward. "If you could read our minds, you wouldn't be asking so many questions. Not to mention," he smirked slyly at Alice. "Yesterday's epic fail wouldn't have happened either."

"If I may," Carlisle began. "I have a proposition."

"Go on," Eve said, although her expression screamed the opposite.

"Stay with us for a while. You don't trust us; it is understandable. But perhaps we can get to know each other a bit. Give us a chance. We are family, after all." Edward nearly pumped his fist in the air. Carlisle truly was a genius. He would love nothing more than to get to know his children.

Eve scowled instantly. He really needed to get that girl to hate him less. Even Adrian looked a little queasy at this idea.

"Exactly how long is a while?" he wanted to know.

"We can hash out the details to your liking," Carlisle promised.

The twins exchanged a long look as if they were having a silent conversation. "Fine," Adrian muttered. He was still grimacing.

"This is gonna be so much fun!" Emmett grinned.

* * *

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	7. Tricks and Trades

TRICKS AND TRADES

Edward tried to contain his laughter as Rosalie burnt the eggs yet again. Esme looked up from the pancake batter and gave her an exasperated look. Ever since they discovered that the twins could eat human food, they had insisted on cooking for them. Esme had discovered a natural talent for cooking while Rose's talent seemed to be setting things on fire. But she continued to persist enthusiastically, saying it made her feel human. Eve, who was seated at the kitchen counter, gave an impish grin. "That was your sixth attempt, Rose. Keep this up and we'll have no eggs left."

The last three days had been out-of-this-world. Adrian quickly made himself at home, charming everyone with his wit and easy-going nature. He was a hit with all of them, especially Emmett who was delighted to have finally found the perfect partner in crime. Their wrestling matches inevitably destroyed one or the other part of the house. Eve had been downright hostile in the beginning, not even feigning pleasantries. One evening, she had walked into the den to find Jasper and Emmett laying out their complicated chess set, consisting of eight boards and a convoluted set of rules. She had watched for a minute before softly asking if she could play. Jasper, stunned as he was, mustered a smile and welcomed her. His smile disappeared, however, when she beat him thrice in a row. After that, Eve was considerably warmer to everyone, even laughing at Emmett's jokes. But when it came to him, both the twins were much more restrained. They avoided him, he could tell and there was always an undercurrent of tension in their interactions with him. And they downright refused to talk about Bella. Adrian simply mentioned that they had informed her of the situation with Victoria and that she was in a safe place. He knew he deserved this treatment. But it still hurt.

At least he was no longer the recipient of those I-am-imagining-your-slow-and-painful-death glares from his daughter. He would gain their trust, he promised himself. No matter the cost.

Esme set down a plate of pancakes in front of Eve as Adrian staggered down the stairs, rubbing his eyes blearily. His hair stuck up in all directions and he was wearing a rumpled white T-shirt over his boxers. He collapsed on the stool and managed a grunt in response to Esme's pleasant 'Good morning'. Edward hid a smile. Definitely not a morning person.

"Here you go, dear," Esme placed his breakfast in front of him. He barely mumbled a thanks before attacking the food like a pack of wild dogs. Eve gave him a disgusted look. "Do you mind? You're making me lose my appetite here."

Adrian looked at her. "Oh, I'm sorry. Do I have a sign on my forehead that says I give a damn? Because I don't."

Eve slapped his shoulder and got up to grab a blood bag from the fridge. Carlisle had stocked up just for them. He briefly wondered if Bella drank from blood bags too. He pushed all his painful thoughts away and headed to the piano. He sat down and began to play. He didn't know how long he had been playing when Eve tapped on his shoulder. "Mind if I join you?"

It was the first time she had approached him on her own. "Of course not," his voice was very soft. He shifted and she sat down next to him. She placed her fingers on the keys and beautiful music began to play. He had been so proud when she had mentioned that she played the piano. Now he listened, completely enchanted. In the middle of the piece, she suddenly withdrew her fingers. To his utter astonishment, the keys continued to move on their own and the melody flowed without interruptions. He laughed delightedly at her little ability.

"That was spectacular," he said, when it ended. "Far better than anything I could manage."

A blush spread on her cheeks at the praise. She smiled at him. _She has her mother's smile_, he thought. He noticed belatedly that their audience was clapping. Adrian gave his sister a thumbs-up.

Then the moment was over as Adrian's phone began to blare 'Gangnam Style'. "Oh shit!" He fumbled a bit and finally managed to find the right button. He listened to the speaker and his rolled his eyes. "What, now? Couldn't someone else do it?" He paused. "Fine, I'll be there."

He looked at them. "Sorry, guys. Office is short-staffed. They need me to come in."

"Oh," Rosalie actually looked upset. "What for?"

"Photo-shoot in Trafalgar Square. I'm the only photographer who's not sick or getting married," he shrugged. "I'll be back in a few hours."

* * *

Naturally, Edward couldn't resist stalking his son. "That's not creepy at all," Eve had muttered as he was leaving the house soon after Adrian sped off. He couldn't help it. He was terribly curious. He watched from a safe distance as Adrian expertly snapped pictures of the models as they struck various poses. Bitchy, whiny, nervous-it didn't matter. He handled them all with a winning smile. And the women, in return, adored him. They flocked around him, giggling and tossing their hair. He chuckled. He certainly hadn't expected his son to be such a huge flirt.

The director called for a break and the models dispersed in all directions. A leggy brunette sauntered over to Adrian. A few minutes later, he had gotten himself a dinner date for the next week. He walked over to a bench studying his camera screen. Edward noticed a young girl edging towards Adrian. Her face was gaunt and she looked about fifteen, sixteen years old. He scanned through her thoughts. She was a pickpocket.

The girl's hand hovered barely an inch from his wallet that was sticking out of his pocket, when Adrian suddenly caught her wrist. The poor girl balked in terror. Adrian's gaze softened instantly.

"You know, that's really not how you pick someone's pocket," he said, jokingly. The girl just stared, unsure how to respond.

Adrian snapped his fingers. "I know. Let me teach you." Edward's eyebrows shot up. This boy was turning out to be as unpredictable as his mother.

The girl gaped at him. "You're serious?"

"Sure, why not? It could be my good deed of the month. Teaching you a new trade. What's your name, love?"

"A-Amelia," she stuttered. Her thoughts were in disarray.

"Okay then, Amelia. Let's begin." He spent the next ten minutes outlining the basics of pickpocketing. Edward wondered how the hell he knew so much.

"Distraction is key, love. For the best results, choose a large crowd. When people are occupied with something, all notions of personal space are forgotten. It's an odd human trait. Someone's rubbing shoulders with me? Who cares, I want to see One Direction! Some stranger's touching my ass? Whatever, Rooney just scored a goal!"

Amelia listened entranced. Soon, her nervousness disappeared and she was nodding along with him.

"There you go, love. Pickpocketing 101."

"How do you know so much," the girl asked, awed.

"Oh, just picked up a few things here and there," he said vaguely. "Might I offer another bit of advice?"

She nodded eagerly.

"Never look sad. A smile will take you a long way. Besides, if you laugh and joke around long enough, you might just trick yourself into forgetting how miserable you really are."

"But nothing will actually change," Amelia said, confused.

"I know, love. But it's okay to fool yourself sometimes." Edward's heart clenched at the sadness in his voice. What had these children been through?

* * *

**Some insight on Adrian. This one's a bit short, I know. More action coming up in the coming chapters :)**

**Reviews are always welcome :D**


	8. Fits and Flashbacks

FITS AND FLASHBACKS

Eve had never imagined that she would meet someone who was in more need of anti-psychotic meds than her mother. That is, until she met the little ball of exuberance named Alice Cullen. Honestly, she was like an energizer bunny on steroids. Not to mention the mood swings. Until a few hours ago, Eve had been fending off the tiny woman's attempts to 'bond with her niece'. No, she did not need a makeover, thank you very much. And no shopping expedition either. She refused to fall for the I-have-no-memories-of-my-human-life card. If she weren't so irritated, she might have been impressed by the pixie's blatant manipulation.

Flash forward to present time. The fore mentioned pixie was standing with her arms crossed, glaring at her brother and her with real anger. "I'm not sure you understand how dangerous Victoria. She's been evading us for _years-_"

"Well, that's not much of a challenge," Adrian said, dryly. "Considering your non-existent tracking skills."

Edward – she couldn't bring herself to call him dad, even in her head - opened his mouth to diffuse the tension but quickly closed it in response to pixie's vicious glare.

"The point," she gritted her teeth, "is that, you aren't taking this seriously enough. Victoria is wild, dangerous and she's after us. We need to be prepared."

Eve couldn't suppress a snort. "Is this your idea of a pep talk? And, no offence, but I'm pretty sure she wants us more than she wants you."

Edward cut in. "Either way, it concerns us. We had an encounter with Victoria ten years ago. I got a good look at her intentions."

"Just one run-in?" Adrian stared in disbelief. "All this fuss because she attacked you _once_? Do you have any idea how many times she's tried to kill us?"

"No. We do not," Alice crossed her arms. "Why don't you enlighten us?"

"Fine," Eve matched her tone. "Adrian, care to do the honors?"

"Why am I always the story-teller?" he grumbled. "Once upon a time, blah, blah, blah. Nine years ago, in a podunk little German town, our brave heroes encountered a red-headed lunatic. . ."

* * *

"Almost done. Hold still now," Adrian coaxed. He had managed to persuade his sister into posing for one of his paintings for the first time ever. He was just adding the final brushstrokes when Anton burst in through the double doors.

"We need to leave. NOW," he gasped. Was that fear in his voice?

Eve dropped the vase she had been holding. "Uncle, what's wrong?" she demanded.

"No time to explain, _liebchen_. Get your mother and let's go." He sounded desperate enough that Eve obeyed him without question. A loud crash sounded from outside. A scent tickled his nostrils. A vampire. His mind went into overdrive. They had never encountered another vampire before.

"We're too late," Anton moaned. What the hell was happening? Just as Eve and Bella arrived at the foot of the stairs, a ridiculously high-pitched feminine voice screeched, "Anton, I know you're there. I can smell you." The woman broke down the front door and barged in. Her eyes were pitch black and she had a shock of tangled red hair. Her expression turned murderous as she spotted his mother. "And dear Bella. Looks like you're alive as well. How perfect!" She clapped her hands like a little girl.

Bella whimpered and backed up against the wall. She clutched herself, mumbling incoherently. Adrian resisted the urge to run to her side and hold her. It was obvious that this woman scared her. His brain worked furiously and the pieces began to fall into place. Could she possibly be the vampire that Bella always ranted about? Victoria? He sucked in a sharp breath.

Unfortunately, that little action drew her attention. She stared at him and Eve. "And what do we have here? Two little humans?"

Anton growled. "Leave now, Victoria. You are outnumbered."

He had guessed right. Victoria threw her head back and laughed. "Really? By a basket case and two humans?" Her head tilted slightly. "But you don't exactly smell like food. Why is that?" she pondered, studying him. Adrian was paralyzed in shock. Victoria sneered. "Never matter. I'll figure it out eventually. Now that I know you're alive, there is no escape for you, Bella darling. I will always find you."

She whooshed out of the door before Adrian could blink. Anton immediately rushed to Bella's side and gently stroked her hair until she quieted. Eve clenched her fists. "Why is that woman after us? Tell us the truth, Anton. No more lies."

"Very well," he sighed. "After we get to a safe place."

Twenty two hours later, they were in a cabin near the Ukrainian border. Anton told them all about their mother's history with Victoria. Adrian just stared at his mug of tea. Eve looked dubious.

"If she hates Mum so much, why did she just take off yesterday? Why not attack?"

"Because she has no intention of making this easy on us. She wants to drag it out painfully."

Bella flinched. "We will need to be on constant move," he said gravely.

_No_. "So, we just keep running for the rest of our lives because our _father_ didn't have the decency to clean up the mess he made? Adrian snapped uncharacteristically.

Anton sighed. "Adrian, we are in no position to fight back."

"Not now, we aren't." A sudden wave of inspiration stuck him. "But we could be. Anton, she has no idea what we are or what we can do. Mine and Eve's abilities are the only advantage we have."

Bella looked horrified. But Anton scratched his chin thoughtfully. "You'll need to train," he muttered.

* * *

Over the course of the next two years, their abilities developed faster than they could have imagined. Until then, Eve had rarely used her ability for purposes other than chucking things around blindly. But now, Anton had her practicing with glassware and porcelain. He insisted that her telekinesis should bend to her will. Soon, she was able to pick them up with her mind, without the slightest bit of damage. Her ability was surprisingly malleable and soon she had a large repertoire of attacks in her arsenal.

Adrian was a bit more difficult to train owing to the lack of test subjects. Eve and Anton had no choice but to volunteer as lab rats. After months of practice, he could influence a person to do just about anything. He could make them see, hear, feel anything he wanted them to. He could even make them forget certain things. After this development, it became exponentially easier to cover their tracks.

Anton also insisted on training them in hand-to-hand combat. Bella refused to be present at these sessions. Adrian turned out to be quite skilled but Eve continued to rely on her telekinesis even while fighting – a push here, a little shove there. It was a useful skill to have, Adrian had to admit.

Anton finally deemed them ready. Well, as ready as they could be. It was only a matter of time before Victoria found them again. The day came roughly thirty months after their first encounter. Only it wasn't Victoria. She had apparently sent four minions. The vampires – all males – growled and crouched to spring on them. "Stop!" Adrian shouted desperately. And they did. He turned to his sister. "Yeah, I got them," she said. Her face was clenched in concentration as she held them immobile with her mind. Their attackers' confusion only increased further when they found they couldn't move. Anton swiftly beheaded all of them and lit their remains on fire.

Adrian stared at the crackling flames. They had done it. Anton clapped him on the back.

* * *

And so, the war began. They put two and two together and discovered that Victoria was creating a newborn army. This made her location extremely conspicuous. All they had to do was follow the news of murder and bloodshed. Being very careful to stay under her radar, they planned a series of attacks. They caught the newborns while they were hunting. Killing them would set Victoria's alarms off so Adrian compelled them to become double agents instead. When Victoria finally sent her army to kill them (she never came, preferring not to put herself on the line of fire), half the newborns would turn against the rest and the army would destroy itself, as they sat back and watched. She grew even more cautious after the first defeat – it had rattled her terribly. She knew that they weren't human but hadn't the slightest clue what they actually were. She had no idea how they had managed to outdo fifteen newborns and absolutely no idea that she was being spied on. It never occurred to her that they would actually put themselves behind enemy lines.

It took her another year to attack again. This army was larger than the previous one with twenty five members. It was also considerably more volatile. They repeated their previous strategy and infiltrated Victoria's ranks. But this time, they allowed a few survivors at the end of the battle. Adrian compelled them to go back to Victoria with a message to back down. Of course, he erased all memories that carried evidence of their abilities. Their secret weapon was too valuable to lose. So, in the end, three survivors made it back to their creator. Riley was one of them.

* * *

For a while, it seemed like Victoria had heeded their warning. They enjoyed three years of peace, although they couldn't afford to relax completely. And then something changed. Word on the grapevine was that the Volturi were on their way to apprehend some vampire who had been creating newborn armies. Victoria, perhaps? Anton heard the news from Ian, an old friend of his who had a love for gossip. Free at last! They could finally go back out in the open. He had never felt so happy. Anton decided to take Bella someplace quiet. All the fighting had worsened her condition. She was more jittery than ever, although she seemed to calm down a bit when they told her that Victoria was gone forever. But it turned out that they had been lulled into a false sense of security.

Adrian and Eve parted ways with Anton and Bella in Geneva. Anton was taking Bella to an unchartered island off the coast of China while the twins were on their way to France. They never made it out of the country. They were intercepted on the Swiss border by a large group of vampires dressed in various shades of grey. The organized manner in which they were arranged as well as their blank faces was quite frankly, scary.

In the center of it all, stood a man completely dressed in black. "Hello," he greeted, in a voice that was way too cheery for the situation. "My name is Aro Volturi. I assume you have heard of me."

The Volturi. _Oh God, no_. All Adrian could feel was relief. Relief that his mother was not here.

"We are here in response to, ah, a situation that has come to our notice thanks to an informant." He continued to smile creepily.

From behind their ranks, stepped out a familiar red-head. She looked terrified but she managed a sneer in their direction.

"I would very much like to know your names," the man - Aro - continued.

Smirking at Eve's mutinous glare, he spoke. "My name is Adrian and this is my sister, Eve. And before you ask, we are half-vampire and half-human."

"Do you take us for fools?" another voice hissed. A rather constipated looking man with blonde hair and similar black robes as Aro stepped forward.

"Peace, Caius. Charles?" he called. A nervous young man came forward and placed his hand in Aro's. Aro closed his eyes for a moment. "How utterly fascinating! Come." He turned back to Adrian and held out his hand.

Did this guy have a hand fetish or something? Aro gave him his idea of a reassuring smile. "I can sense your confusion, young Adrian. You see, I have a little a little talent. I can read your every thought with a single touch. Charles here is a lie detector. He has confirmed the truth of your statement. A vampire father and a human mother! I would like to see for myself." It didn't sound like a request.

"Oh, we'd rather not," he cutting off whatever scathing comment Eve had been about to make. He subtly squeezed her arm.

Aro's smile became sinister. "I was afraid you might say that. Allow me to introduce you to Jane. She has a little talent as well. Jane, dear," he called. A little girl came forward smiling beatifically. She turned her gaze to Victoria. The red-head was suddenly on the ground, writhing in agony and screaming.

Aro continued. "And this is Alec, Jane's twin," he said pointing to a small boy with the same twisted yet beautiful features as Jane. "He can take away all your senses-sight, smell, touch, hearing. Alec, care to demonstrate?" The boy held out his hand in Victoria's direction. A cloud of mist emerged from his fingers and headed towards Victoria. She stopped screaming and just fell to the ground as if her life had deserted her. She lay on the ground in a seemingly vegetative state.

Eve clutched at his hand. Adrian was quite shaken himself. No wonder the Volturi were considered so powerful. Aro was trying to intimidate them and it was working.

He exchanged a look with Eve. They were badly outnumbered. Of course, their enemies had no idea of their abilities but that would change once Aro read their mind which he would do by force if needed. They had no choice. _So this is how we die_.

They walked forward, Adrian in the lead. He met Aro's gaze unflinchingly and took his hand. Aro closed his eyes and his expression changed from confidence to confusion to utter shock. "That's not possible," he muttered, more to himself. An old memory filled Adrian's mind. His mother saying wistfully, y_our father could never read my mind_. Was it possible that they had inherited that ability? He glanced at his sister and knew from the slightly triumphant look on her face that she was thinking the same thing.

"Jane!" Aro's shrill voice rang out. "My dear, let's see if these two are immune to your talents as well."

"No," Adrian growled as Jane smiled at Eve. One moment passed, then two. Nothing happened. Jane looked incredulous. Come to think of it, everyone did. Aro shook himself out of his stupor and tried to speak calmly. "I will confer with my brothers." He gathered with Caius and a very bored looking guy in the same black robes.

Adrian couldn't resist a smirk as he and Eve were forced back by two hefty guards. Once they were far away enough, he turned to Eve. "Game plan?" he whispered with renewed hope.

Her brows were furrowed. "Okay. There's nine of them - Three in black. Must be the leaders. Then there's the wonder twins-" she made a face. "-the two muscle men, the mousy brunette clinging to Aro, the handsome guy over there-" she turned to look at the dark-haired guy next to Alec who was already staring at her. He gave her a seductive smile when he noticed her looking.

"And the super-hot babe," Adrian finished, eyeing the blonde, who dressed in the same black clothes as the big three but didn't seem to be one of the leaders. Strange. "Eight of them plus Victoria."

They quickly devised their escape plan. The trio finished their discussion and turned to them.

Aro clasped his hands behind his back. "I am terribly sorry," he began, looking genuinely upset. "But we cannot allow you to live. You are clearly dangerous, having managed to destroy not one but two newborn armies. You have also managed to defy us. You cannot be restrained and hence, you are a liability."

Victoria was smirking, well, victoriously. _That little snitch_.

"Restrained?" Eve sounded insulted. "What are we, your pets?"

Aro shook his head sadly. "Such a waste. I am however very curious. How did you defeat the armies?" he leaned forward excitedly.

Eve smirked. "I'm glad you asked. Like this." She raised her hands.

There was his cue. He poured all his energy into his task. He usually controlled minds with his words but it was possible to do so without speaking. It was just a hundred times more difficult. His hands shook slightly from the effort but he managed to do it. Jane and Alec were under his control.

Eve was holding the rest of them immobile. She couldn't keep at it for much longer. Ignoring all the surprised cries of alarm, he focused on Alec_. I want you to incapacitate the guard. _Alec turned as if in a daze and mist began curling from his fingers.

Aro recoiled. "Alec, what-" Before he could finish, his entire guard had collapsed in an unfeeling heap. Caius looked terrified. Bastard. Marcus looked mildly interested and maybe a little impressed.

He turned to Jane_. Take out Victoria_. She fell to the ground once again. He'd make sure she died a very painful death, for all the shit she had put his mother through.

All this happened in less than a minute.

"We control Jane and Alec," Adrian said, staring them down. "Surrender and we'll let you live."

Caius began to say something with a sneer but Eve raised her hand. The ground began to shake slightly and the Volturi leaders, save for Marcus, whom Eve had decided to spare, cried out in pain as their limbs were stretched away from their body to the breaking point. Adrian raised his eyebrows. She was really angry.

"Alright. _Alright_," Aro screamed. "We surrender."

Adrian couldn't believe his ears for a moment. They had won. They brought the mighty Volturi to their knees. Unfortunately, in his elation, his control over Jane slipped for a tiny fraction of a second. But it was too late. Victoria got to her feet and fled before he could do anything.

"No!" Eve wailed.

* * *

The next day, they signed an actual written peace treaty. A bit dramatic maybe, but this way they could hold the Volturi to their word. They agreed that neither party would intentionally attack the other. The terms also included regular 'peace summits' at Volterra or pre-determined alternate locations. The three leaders signed the piece of paper-no, parchment- followed by the twins. Marcus gave them a knowing smile. He actually seemed like an okay guy, just really sad. He kind of reminded him of Mum for some reason.

As they were leaving, Adrian caught hold of Aro's arm. "Just so you know, if you ever betray us, Jane and Alec will be on our side." It was true. Adrian had planted a failsafe in their minds. If Aro ever made a move against them, Jane and Alec had been compelled to turn against their master instantly.

Aro's face whitened but he managed a nod.

Three years later, the treaty was still in place. They had attended six of those 'peace summits' so far. Aro was forcedly cheerful to them while Caius just avoided them altogether. They made a few friends too. Marcus actually made conversation with them, even threw in a few rare smiles, much to the disbelief of the guard. He told Eve that she reminded him of his late wife. Something about spunk. He couldn't be sure but he thought Eve had had a brief fling with Demetri aka handsome guy from the battlefield. He hadn't exactly approved of that but who was he to judge? Turned out the super-hot babe was actually taken but he did have a great night with a luscious brunette named Heidi, whose talent was actually quite similar to his. That was an interesting conversation.

* * *

"And so, they live happily ever after. For a while, anyway," Adrian finished. He surveyed his audience. The Cullen clan was staring at them with new eyes.

He turned to Alice. "We know exactly how dangerous Victoria is and I assure you, we take this threat very seriously. We will make sure she pays for all she's done. You have my word," his voice took on a serious note.

Then his mood shifted like someone had flipped a switch. "Good talk. We should do this more often." He yawned loudly and walked off.

* * *

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